Hospital visit and insulin

AliceChatsworth

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
Carer
My husband went into hospital just before he was due to start Empagliflozin. Subsequently diagnosed with a virus that caused hepatitis. At home we had reintroduced a low carb diet but his sugars were still high. I'm guessing some of his high sugar readings would be from virus as well as diabetes? After a couple of days in hospital he started to eat again. Within a day on hospital food his sugars jumped from 11.2 to 24. He was put on insulin, initially for the duration of his stay but then then team insisted he go home with it because they had been high for quite some time before admission. He has come back home from very high carb hospital food to low carb diet and his morning reading dropped from 21 to 13 within 24 hours. I don't know what to expect now as insulin is new to us and his home diet is very different to the hospital diet (which was rice Krispies, lots of rice or potatoes, and sugary puddings; no low carb option on the menu). He can't start Empagliflozin yet until reviewed by GP diabetic team. Assuming a continued low carb diet what likely difference in blood sugars could we see over the weekend? And how often does he have to eat? We've been working on reducing food frequency with a lchf diet but the diabetic team seemed pretty insistent that he eat regularly and have snacks. Because his sleeping pattern is very erratic I'm having to wake him to give insulin, take blood sugar readings and give food to stick with a conventional eating pattern. Is the food thing necessary or can he just have 3 meals when it suits him? He's now down to 12.2 from routinely about 24 in hospital. Will he have been given an insulin dose based on his hospital sugar readings?
Thanks
 

catapillar

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,390
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Morning and evening one, can't remember the name, 20 units morning and 18 evening.

Is it a mixed insulin or a basal insulin? Any advice on "how often does he have to eat" will be different depending on what type of insulin he is taking.
 

azure

Expert
Messages
9,780
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Morning and evening one, can't remember the name, 20 units morning and 18 evening.

Ok, well that sounds like it might be mixed insulin (although no one can be sure without having the name). It could just be a long acting one.

It's really important you find out and get guidance about his diet. I wouldn't recommend cutting his carbs until you get that guidance and get advice from his doctor or diabetes nurse. Different insulins need different schedules. If it was a mixed insulin, and your husband skipped lunch or had a carb-free lunch, in theory he could suffer a hypo. These can be unpleasant and sometimes serious if they're severe.
 

AliceChatsworth

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
Carer
It's Insuman basal 100 units/ml 20 units in the morning and 18 at night. His sugars have settled down a lot now with his normal diet, I will make sure he doesn't miss main meals. Thanks for feedback, we review next week with the diabetes nurse.
 
  • Like
Reactions: azure

AliceChatsworth

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
Carer
Ok, well that sounds like it might be mixed insulin (although no one can be sure without having the name). It could just be a long acting one.

It's really important you find out and get guidance about his diet. I wouldn't recommend cutting his carbs until you get that guidance and get advice from his doctor or diabetes nurse. Different insulins need different schedules. If it was a mixed insulin, and your husband skipped lunch or had a carb-free lunch, in theory he could suffer a hypo. These can be unpleasant and sometimes serious if they're severe.
I am having problems entering a reply, sorry!

It's Insuman basal 100 units/ml, 20 units in the morning and 18 at night. His BG readings have stabilised a lot now he's on normal home food. Still measuring regularly to check because a steady decline down to single figures would be good. He won't skip meals. Reviewing with the diabetes nurse next week. Since posting this I have remembered that the hospital nurse said we could reduce the dose by 10% when he is regularly in single figures and by 20% when he's regularly in normal range.
 
  • Like
Reactions: azure

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I am having problems entering a reply, sorry!

It's Insuman basal 100 units/ml, 20 units in the morning and 18 at night. His BG readings have stabilised a lot now he's on normal home food. Still measuring regularly to check because a steady decline down to single figures would be good. He won't skip meals. Reviewing with the diabetes nurse next week. Since posting this I have remembered that the hospital nurse said we could reduce the dose by 10% when he is regularly in single figures and by 20% when he's regularly in normal range.
Sounds sensible guidance from the nurse. He should be able to eat fairly flexibly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceChatsworth